4 

3; 

2 
5 
4 

3 
> 

o 

-<c 

6 

I'S* 


'M    ^"^"^  "■■■■■ 


.V. 


V  < 


tiiii!il>A..i .,. 


WILLIA  N4^ 
UNIVERS!'!  ( 
SANTA  BARB 


Cabin's  iReprtnts, 


QUARTO    SERIES. 


No.  I. 


AN 


ACCOUNT 


CJje  ilate  B^ebolutton 


N  E  W-EN  GLAND. 


Mr.  NATHANAEL  BYFIELD. 


N  F,  W    YORK: 

REPRINTED  FOR  JOSEPH  SABIN. 

1865. 


/ 

SANTA  BARBARA  COLLEGE  LIBR. 

p 

WIlWm  WYL^Ll- 

/  /  ^ 

UNJVERsn-y  6f  ca  tin 

P)^ 

AN 

SANTA. BARBARA.  COLLE 

ACCOUNT 


OF  THE 


^i^U  Utvohiimt 


IN 


E  W-ENGL  AND. 

Together  with  the 

DECLARATION 

OF  THE 

Gentlemen^  Merchants,  and  Inhabitants  of  506'7'OA^j 
and  the  Country  Adjacent.     Jpri/  i8.    1689. 


Written  by  Mr.  N A T H A N A E L  BTFIELD, 
a  Merchant  of  Bri/}o/ in  New-England,  to  his  Friends 
in  London. 


LICENSED,  June  27.    1689.  J.  Frajer. 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  MfC*  QtW^tW  at  the  Rqfe  and  Crown'm 

St.  Pams  Church- Yard.     MDCLXXXIX. 


AN 


ACCOUNT 


LATE   REVOLUTION 


METV-EN  G  L  AN  D. 

Written  by  M^  Nathanael  Byfield^  to  his  Friends,  ^c. 

GENTLEMENy 

ERE  being  an  opportunity 
of  fending  for  London,  by 
a  VefTel  that  loaded  at 
Long-Iiland,  and  for  want 
of  a  Wind  put  in  here ;  and 
not  knowing  that  there  will 
be  the  like  from  this  Country  fuddenly,  I 
am  willing  to  give  you  fome  brief  Account 
of  the  moft  remarkable  Things  that  have 


[6  ] 

hapned  here  within  this  Fortnight  laft 
paft ;  concluding  that  till  about  that  time, 
you  will  have  received  per  Carter^  a  full 
Account  of  the  management  of  Affairs 
here.  Upon  the  Eighteenth  Inftant,  about 
Eight  of  the  Clock  in  the  Morning,  in 
Bofton,  it  was  reported  at  the  South  end 
of  the  Town,  That  at  the  North  end  they 
were  all  in  Arms ;  and  the  like  Report 
was  at  the  North  end,  refpedling  the  South 
end :  Whereupon  Captain  yohn  George 
was  immediately  feized,  and  about  Nine 
of  the  Clock  the  Drums  beat  thorough  the 
Town ;  and  an  Enfign  was  fet  up  upon 
the  Beacon.  Then  Mr.  Bradjlreet^  Mr. 
Dantforth^  Major  Richards^  Dr.  Cooke j  and 
Mr.  Addington^  &^c.  were  brought  to  the 
Council-houfe  by  a  Company  of  Soldiers 
under  the  Command  of  Captain  Hi//. 
The  mean  while  the  People  in  Arms,  did 
take  up  and  put  into  Goal,  Juflice  Bu//i- 
vantj  Juftice  Foxcroft^  Mr.  Rando/f^  Sheriff 
SJoer/ocli^  Captain  Raveiifcroft^  Captain 
Wh)ite^  Farewe/^  Broadbenty  Craffordy  Lar- 
kin^  Smit/jy  and  many  more,  as  alfo  Mercey 

the 


[7   ] 

the  then  Goal-keeper,  and  put  Scutes  the 
Bricklayer  in  his  place.  About  Noon,  in 
the  Gallery  at  the  Council-houfe,  was 
read  the  Declaration  here  inclofed.  Then 
a  Meflage  was  fent  to  the  Fort  to  Sir 
Edmund  Androfs^  by  Mr.  Oliver  and  Mr. 
EyreSj  figned  by  the  Gentlemen  then  in 
the  Council-Chamber,  [which  is  here  alfo 
inclofed]  ;  to  inform  him  how  unfife  he 
was  like  to  be  if  he  did  not  deliver  up 
himfelf,  and  Fort  and  Government  forth- 
with, which  he  was  loath  to  do.  By  this 
time,  being  about  two  of  the  Clock  [the 
Ledfure  being  put  by]  the  Town  was 
generally  in  Arms,  and  fo  many  of  the 
Countrey  came  in,  that  there  was  twenty 
Companies  in  Bofton,  befides  a  great  many 
that  appeared  at  Charles  Town  that  could 
not  get  over  [fome  fay  fifteen  hundred]. 
There  then  came  Information  to  the  Sol- 
diers, That  a  Boat  was  come  from  the 
Frigat  that  made  towards  the  Fort,  which 
made  them  hafte  thither,  and  come  to  the 
Sconce  foon  after  the  Boat  got  thither ; 
and  'tis  faid   that   Governor  A?tdrofsj  and 

about 


[8  ] 

about  half  a  fcore  Gentlemen,  were  com- 
ing down  out  of  the  Fort ;  but  the  Boat 
being  feized,  wherein  were  fmall  Arms, 
Hand-Granadoes,  and  a  quantity  of  Match, 
the  Governour  and  the  reft  went  in  again  ; 
whereupon  Mr.  jfoin  JVe/Jon,  who  was  at 
the  head  of  the  Soldiers,  did  demand  the 
Fort  and  the  Governor,  who  was  loath  to 
fubmit  to  them ;  but  at  length  did  come 
down,  and  was  with  the  Gentlemen  that 
were  with  him,  conveyed  to  the  Council- 
houfe,  where  Mr.  Bradjlreet  and  the  reft 
of  the  Gentlemen  waited  to  receive  him  ; 
to  whom  Mr.  St  ought  on  firft  fpake,  telling 
him,  He  might  thank  himfelf  for  the 
prefent  Difafter  that  had  befallen  him,  ^c. 
He  was  then  confined  for  that  Night  to 
Mr.  John  UJhers  Houfe  under  ftrong 
Guards,  and  the  n^xt  Day  conveyed  to 
the  Fort,  [where  he  yet  remains,  and  with 
him  Lieutenant  Collonel  Ledget^  which 
is  under  the  Command  of  Mr.  yohn  Nelfon  ; 
and  at  the  Caftle,  which  is  under  the 
Command  of  Mr.  yo/in  Fairweather^  is 
Mr.  IVefi^  Mr.  Graham^  Mr.  Palmer^  and 

Captain 


[9  ] 

Captain  Tryfroye,  At  that  time  Mr.  Dud- 
ley was  out  upon  the  Circuit,  and  was 
holding  a  Court  at  Southold  on  Long- 
Ifland.  And  on  the  21ft  Inftant  he  ar- 
rived at  Newport,  where  he  heard  the 
News.  The  next  Day  Letters  came  to 
him,  advifing  him  not  to  come  home ;  he 
thereupon  went  over  privately  to  Major 
Smit/is  at  Naraganzett,  and  Advice  is  this 
Day  come  hither,  that  yefterday  about  a 
dozen  young  Men,  moil:  of  their  own 
Heads,  went  thither  to  demand  him  ;  and 
are  gone  with  him  down  to  Bofton.  We 
have  alfo  Advice,  that  on  Fryday  laft 
towards  Evening,  Sir  Edmond  Androfs  did 
attempt  to  make  an  Efcape  in  Woman's 
Apparel,  and  pafs'd  two  Guards,  and  was 
flopped  at  the  third,  being  difcovered  by 
his  Shoes,  not  having  changed  them.  We 
are  here  ready  to  blame  you  fometimes, 
that  we  have  not  to  this  Day  received  ad- 
vice concerning  the  great  Changes  in 
England,  and  in  particular  how  it  is  like 
to  fair  with  us  here ;  who  do  hope  and 
believe  that  all  thefe  Things  will  work  for 
B  our 


our  Good  ;  and  that  you  will  not  be  want- 
ing to  promote  the  Good  of  a  Country 
that  ftands  in  fuch  need  as  New  England 
does  at  this  Day.  The  lirft  Day  of  May, 
according  to  former  Ufage,  is  the  Eledlion 
Day  at  Road  liland ;  and  many  do  fay 
they  intend  their  Choice  there  then.  I 
have  not  farther  to  trouble  you  with  at 
prefent,  but  recommending  you,  and  all 
our  Affairs  with  you,  to  the  Diredlion  and 
Bleffing  of  our  mofi:  Gracious  God :  I  re- 
main 

Gentlemen, 

Your  mofI:  Humble 
Servant  at  Command, 

NATHANAEL  BTFIELD, 

Bvi^ol,  Jpril  2g.   1689. 

1'hrough  the  Goodnejs  of  God,  there 
hath  been  no  Blood  Jhed.  Nath. 
Clark  is  in  Plymouth  Gaol, 
and  John  Smith  in  Gaol  here, 
allwaiting  for  News  from  Eng- 
land. 


THE 


THE 


DECLARATION 


OF  THE 


Gentlemen,  Merchants  and  Inhabitants  of  Bojion, 
and  the  Country  Adjacent.    April  i8.   1689. 


§1.  '\lfTE  have  feen  more  than  a  decad 
\l\j  oi  Years  rolled  away  lince  the 
Englifh  World  had  the  Difcovery  of  an 
horrid  Popijh  Plot;  wherein  the  bloody 
Devotoes  of  Rome  had  in  their  Deiign 
and  Profpedl  no  lefs  than  the  Extindlion 
of  the  Protejlant  Religmi :  which  mighty 
Work  they  called  t/ie  utter  fuhdiwtg  of  a 
Pejiilent  Herefy  ;  wherein  [they  faid]  there 
never  were  fuch  Hopes  of  Succefs  fince 
the  Death  of  Queen  Mary^  as  now  in  our 
Days.  And  we  were  of  all  Men  the  mofi: 
infenfible,  if  we  fhould  apprehend  a  Coun- 

trey 


[     12    ] 

trey  fo  .remarkable  for  the  true  Profeffion 
and  pure  Exercife  of  the  Proteftant  Reli- 
gion as  New-England  is,  wholly  uncon- 
cerned in  the  Infamous  Plot.  To  crufh 
and  break  a  Countrey  fo  entirely  and  lig- 
nally  made  up  of  Reformed  Churches^  and 
at  length  to  involve  it  in  the  miferies  of 
an  utter  Extirpation,  muft  needs  carry 
even  a  Supererogation  of  Merit  with  it 
among  fuch  as  were  intoxicated  with  a 
Bigotry  infpired  into  them  by  the  great 
Scarlet  Whore. 

§11.  To  get  us  within  the  reach  of  the 
Defolation  defired  for  us,  it  was  no  im- 
proper thing  that  we  fhould  firfl  have  our 
Charter  vacated,  and  the  Hedge  which 
kept  us  from  the  wild  Beafts  of  the  Field, 
effedlually  broken  down.  The  Accom- 
plifhment  of  this  was  haftned  by  the  un- 
wearied SoUicitations,  and  flanderous  Ac- 
cufations  of  a  Man,  for  his  Malice  and 
Faljhood^  well  known  unto  us  all.  Our 
Charter  was  with  a  moft  injurious  Pretence 
[and  fcarce  that]  of  Law,  condemned  be- 
fore  it  was   poffible   for   us  to  appear  at 

Weftminfter 


[   13   ] 

Weftminfter  in  the  legal  Defence  of  it ; 
and  without  a  fair  leave  to  anfwer  for  our 
felves,  concerning  the  Crimes  falfly  laid  to 
our  Charge,  we  were  put  under  a  Prefident 
and  Council,  without  any  liberty  for  an 
Affembly,  which  the  other  American 
Plantations  have,  by  a  Commiffion  from 
his  Majefty. 

§  III.  The  Commiffion  was  as  Illegal  for 
the  Form  of  it,  as  the  Way  of  obtaining 
it  was  Malicious  and  Unreafonable :  yet 
we  made  no  Refiftance  thereunto  as  we 
could  eafily  have  done ;  but  chofe  to  give 
all  Mankind  a  Demonftration  of  our  being 
a  People  fufficiently  dutiful  and  loyal  to 
our  King :  and  this  with  yet  more  Satis- 
faction, becaufe  we  took  Pains  to  make  our 
felves  believe  as  much  as  ever  we  could  of 
the  Whedle  then  offer'd  unto  us  ;  That  his 
Magefty's  Defire  was  no  other  than  the 
happy  Encreafe  and  Advance  of  thefe 
Provinces  by  their  more  immediate  De- 
pendance  on  the  Crown  of  England.  And 
we  were  convinced  of  it  by  the  Courfes 
immediately  taken  to  damp  and  fpoyl  our 

Trade ; 


[  H  ] 

Trade ;  whereof  Decayes  and  Complaints 
prefently  filled  all  the  Country;  while  in 
the  mean  time  neither  the  Honour  nor  the 
Treafure  of  the  King  was  at  all  advanced 
by  this  new  Model  of  our  Affairs,  but 
a  confiderable  Charge  added  unto  the 
Crown. 

§IV.  In  little  more  than  half  a  Year 
we  faw  this  Commiffion  fuperfeded  by 
another  yet  more  abfolute  and  Arbitrary, 
with  which  Sir  Edmond  Androfs  arrived 
as  our  Governour  :  who  befides  his  Power, 
with  the  Advice  and  Confent  of  his  Coun- 
cil, to  make  Laws  and  raife  Taxes  as  he 
pleafed ;  had  alfo  Authority  by  himfelf 
to  Mufter  and  Imploy  all  Perfons  refiding 
in  the  Territory  as  occafion  fhall  ferve ; 
and  to  transfer  fuch  Forces  to  any  Englifh 
Plantation  in  America,  as  occafion  fhall 
require.  And  feveral  Companies  of  Soul- 
diers  were  now  brought  from  Europe,  to 
fupport  what  was  to  be  impofed  upon  us, 
not  without  repeated  Menaces  that  fome 
hundreds  more  were  intended  for  us. 

§  V.   The  Government  was  no  fooner  in 

thefe 


[  '5] 

thefe  Hands,  but  Care  was  taken  to  load 
Preferments  principally  upon  fuch  Men  as 
were  Strangers  to  and  Haters  of  the  People: 
and  every  ones  Obfervation  hath  noted, 
what  Qualifications  recommended  a  Man 
to  publick  Offices  and  Employments,  only 
here  and  there  a  good  Man  was  ufed,  where 
others  could  not  eafily  be  had ;  the  Gov- 
ernour  himfelf,  with  Aflertions  now  and 
then  falling  from  him,  made  us  jealous  that 
it  would  be  thought  for  his  Majefties  In- 
tereft,  if  this  People  were  removed  and 
another  fucceeded  in  their  room  :  And 
his  far-fetch'd  Inftruments  that  were  grow- 
ing rich  among  us,  would  gravely  inform 
us,  that  it  was  not  for  his  Majefties  Interefl: 
that  we  fhould  thrive.  But  of  all  our 
Oppreffors  we  were  chiefly  fqueez'd  by  a 
Crew  of  abje6i:  Perfons  fetched  from  New 
York,  to  be  the  Tools  of  the  Adverfary, 
(landing  at  our  right  Hand  ;  by  thefe  were 
extraordinary  and  intollerable  Fees  extorted 
from  every  one  upon  all  Occafions,  with- 
out any  Rules  but  thofe  of  their  own  in- 
fatiable  Avarice  and   Beggary  ;  and  even 

the 


[   i6  ] 

the   probate   of  a  Will   muft  now  coft  as 
many   Pounds   perhaps   as  it  did  Shillings 
heretofore ;   nor    could   a    fmall    Volume 
contain  the  other  Illegalities  done  by  thefe 
Horfe-leeches   in  the   two   or  three   Years 
that  they    have  been  fucking  of  us ;   and 
what  Laws  they  made  it  was  as  impoffible 
for   us    to  know,    as  dangerous   for   us  to 
break;    but  we  fhall   leave   the   Men  of 
X'r>#^rilpfwich    or  Plimotuh    [among  others]   to 
lr%kiy"pui^d\  the  Story  of  the   Kindnefs  which  has 
''^''^'  been    fhown    them    upon    this   Account. 

Doubtlefs  a  Land  fo  ruled  as  once  New- 
England  was,  has  not  without  many  Fears 
and  Sighs  beheld  the  wicked  walking  on 
every  Side,  and  the  vilefl:  Men  exalted. 

§  VL  It  was  now  plainly  affirmed,  both 
by  fome  in  open  Council,  and  by  the  fame  in 
private  Converfe,  that  the  People  in  New- 
England  were  all  Slaves^  and  the  only  dif- 
ference between  them  and  Slaves  is  their 
not  being  bought  and  fold ;  and  it  was  a 
Maxim  delivered  in  open  Court  unto  us 
by  one  of  the  Council,  that  we  mujl  not 
think  the  Priviledges  of  Englijh  men  would 

follow 


[   ^7  ] 

follow  us  to  the  End  of  the  World :  Accord- 
ingly we  have  been  treated  with  multi- 
plied Contradidlions  to  Magna  Charta^  the 
Rights  of  which  we  laid  claim  unto.  Per- 
fons  who  did  but  peaceably  objed:  againft 
the  raifmg  of  Taxes,  without  an  Aflembly, 
have  been  for  it  fined,  fome  twenty,  fome 
thirty,  and  others  fifty  Pounds.  Packt  and 
pickt  Juries  have  been  very  common  things 
among  us,  when,  under  a  pretended  Form 
of  Law,  the  Trouble  of  fome  honeft  and 
worthy  Men  has  been  aimed  at :  but  when 
fome  of  this  Gang  have  been  brought 
upon  the  Stage,  for  the  moft  deteftable 
Enormities  that  ever  the  Sun  beheld,  all 
Men  have  with  Admiration  feen  what 
Methods  have  been  taken  that  they  might 
not  be  treated  according  to  their  Crimes. 
Without  a  Verdicft,  yea,  without  a  Jury 
fometimes  have  People  been  fined  moft 
unrighteoufly ;  and  fome  not  of  the  mean- 
eft  Quality  have  been  kept  in  long  and  clofe 
Imprifonment  without  any  the  leaft  In- 
formation appearing  againft  them,  or  an 
Habeas  Corpus  allowed  unto  them.  In 
C  fhort. 


[  ^8  ] 

fliort,  when  our  Oppreffors  have  been  a 
little  out  of  Mony,  'twas  but  pretending 
fome  Offence  to  be  enquired  into,  and  the 
moft  innocent  of  Men  were  continually 
put  into  no  fmall  Expence  to  anfwer 
the  Demands  of  the  Officers,  who  muft 
have  Mony  of  them,  or  a  Prifon  for  them, 
tho  none  could  accufe  them  of  any  Mifde- 
meanour. 

§  VII.  To  plunge  the  poor  People  every 
where  into  deeper  Incapacities,  there  was 
one  very  comprehenlive  Abufe  given  to 
us ;  Multitudes  of  pious  and  fober  Men 
through  the  Land,  fcrupled  the  Mode  of 
Swearing  on  the  Book,  defiring  that  they 
might  Swear  with  an  uplifted  Hand, 
agreeable  to  the  ancient  Cuftom  of  the 
Colony;  and  though  we  think  we  can 
prove  that  the  Common  Law  amongft  us 
(as  well  as  in  fome  other  places  under  the 
Englifh  Crown)  not  only  indulges,  but 
even  commands  and  enjoins  the  Rite  of 
lifting  the  Hand  in  Swearing  ;  yet  they 
that  had  this  Doubt,  were  ftill  put  by  from 
ferving   upon   any  Juries ;    and   many  of 

them 


[  19  ] 

them  were  moft  unaccountably  Fined  and 
Imprifoned.  Thus  one  Grievance  is  a 
Trojan  Horfe^  in  the  Belly  of  which  it 
is  not  eafy  to  recount  how  many  infufFer- 
able  Vexations  have  been  contained. 

§  VIII.  Becaufe  thefe  Things  could  not 
make  us  miferable  faft  enough,  there  was 
a  notable  Difcovery  made  of  we  know  not 
what  flaw  in  all  our  Titles  to  our  Lands ; 
and  tho,  bejides  our  purchafe  of  them  from 
the  Natives ;  and,  befides  our  adual  peace- 
able unqueftioned  Poffeffion  of  them  for 
near  threefcore  Years,  and  befides  the  Pro- 
mife  of  K.  Charles  II.  in  his  Proclamation 
fent  over  to  us  in  the  Year  1683,  That 
no  Man  here  Jhall  receive  any  Prejudice  in 
his  Free-hold  or  Eflate :  We  had  the  Grant 
of  our  Lands,  under  the  Seal  of  the  Coun- 
cil of  Plimouth :  which  Grant  was  Re- 
newed and  Confirmed  unto  us  by  King 
Charles  I.  under  the  Great  Seal  of  England ; 
and  the  General  Court  which  confifted  of 
the  Patentees  and  their  Aflociates,  had 
made  particular  Grants  hereof  to  the  fev- 
eral  Towns  (though  'twas  now  deny'd  by 

the 


the  Governour,  that  there  was  any  fuch 
Thing  as  a  Town)  among  us ;  to  all  which 
Grants  the  General  Court  annexed  for  the 
further  fecuring  of  them,  A  Ge?teral  A8i^ 
published  under  the  Seal  of  the  Colony, 
in  the  Year  1684.  Yet  we  were  every 
day  told.  That  no  Man  was  owner  of  a  Foot 
of  Land  in  all  the  Colony,  Accordingly, 
Writs  of  Intrufion  began  every  where  to 
be  ferved  on  People,  that  after  all  their 
Sweat  and  their  Coft  upon  their  formerly 
purchafed  Lands,  thought  themfelves  Free- 
holders of  what  they  had.  And  the  Gov- 
ernor caufed  the  Lands  pertaining  to  thefe 
and  thofe  particular  Men^  to  be  meafured 
out  for  his  Creatures  to  take  pofTeffion  of; 
and  the  Right  Owners^  for  pulling  up  the 
Stakes,  have  paffed  through  Moleftations 
enough  to  tire  all  the  Patience  in  the 
World.  They  are  more  than  a  few,  that 
were  by  Terrors  driven  to  take  Patents 
for  their  Lands  at  exceffive  rates,  to  fave 
them  from  the  next  that  might  petition 
for  them  :  and  we  fear  that  the  forcing  of 
the  People  at  the  Eaftward  hereunto,  gave 

too 


[  21  ] 

too  much  Rife  to  the  late  unhappy  Inva- 
fion  made  by  the  Indians  on  them.  Blanck 
Patents  were  got  ready  for  the  reft  of  us, 
to  be  fold  at  a  Price,  that  all  the  Mony  and 
Moveables  in  the  Territory  could  fcarce 
have  paid.  And  feveral  Towns  in  the 
Country  had  their  Commons  begg'd  by 
Perfons  (even  by  fome  of  the  Council 
themfelves)  who  have  been  privately  en- 
couraged thereunto,  by  thofe  that  fought 
for  Occaftons  to  impoverifh  a  Land  already 
Peeled^  Meeted  out  and  Trodden  down, 

%  IX.  All  the  Council  were  not  ingaged 
in  thefe  ill  A6lions,  but  thofe  of  them 
which  were  true  Lovers  of  their  Country^ 
were  feldom  admitted  to,  and  feldomer 
confulted  at  the  Debates  which  produced 
thefe  unrighteous  Things  :  Care  was  taken 
to  keep  them  under  Difadvantages  3  and 
the  Governor,  with  five  or  fix  more,  did 
what  they  would.  We  bore  all  thefe,  and 
many  more  fuch  Things,  without  making 
any  attempt  for  any  Relief;  only  Mr. 
Mather^  purely  out  of  refpedl  unto  the 
Good  of  his  AfHidted  Country,  undertook 


[22    ] 

a  Voyage  into  England ;  which  when 
thefe  Men  fufpedled  him  to  be  preparing 
for,  they  ufed  all  manner  of  Craft  and 
Rage,  not  only  to  interrupt  his  Voyage^ 
but  to  ruin  his  Perfon  too.  God  having 
through  many  DiiBculties  given  him  to 
arrive  at  White-hall,  the  King,  more  than 
once  or  twice,  promifed  him  a  certain 
Magna  Charta  for  a  fpeedy  Redrefs  of 
many  Things  which  we  were  groaning 
under :  and  in  the  mean  time  faid.  That 
our  Governor  Jhould  be  written  unto^  to 
forbear  the  Meafures  that  he  was  upon. 
However,  after  this,  we  were  injured  in 
thofe  very  Things  which  were  complained 
of;  and  besides  what  Wrong  hath  been 
done  in  our  Civil  Concerns,  we  fuppofe 
the  Minifters  and  the  Churches  every  where 
have  feen  our  Sacred  Concerns  apace  go- 
ing after  them :  How  they  have  been 
Difcountenanced,  has  had  a  room  in  the 
Refledlion  of  every  Man,  that  is  not  a 
Stranger  in  our  Ifrael. 

§X.   And  yet  that  our  Calamity  might 
not   be   terminated    here,    we   are   again 

Briar'd 


[23   ] 

Briar'd  in  the  Perplexities  of  another  In- 
dian War  ;  how,  or  why,  is  a  myftery  too 
deep  for  us  to  unfold.  And  tho'  'tis 
judged  that  our  Indian  Enemies  are  not 
above  loo.  in  Number,  yet  an  Army  of 
One  thoufand  Englifh  hath  been  raifed  for 
the  Conquering  of  them  \  which  Army  of 
our  poor  Friends  and  Brethren  now  under 
Popijh  Commanders  (for  in  the  Army  as 
well  as  in  the  Council,  Papifts  are  in 
Commiffion)  has  been  under  fuch  a  Con- 
dud:,  that  not  one  Indian  hath  been  kill'd, 
but  more  Englifh  are  fuppofed  to  have 
died  through  ficknefs  and  hardfhip,  than 
we  have  Adverfaries  there  alive  ;  and  the 
whole  War  hath  been  fo  managed,  that 
we  cannot  but  fufped:  in  it,  a  Branch  of 
the  Plot  to  bring  us  low  ;  which  we  leave 
to  be  further  enquired  into  in  due  time. 

§XI.  We  did  nothing  againft  thefe 
Proceedings,  but  only  cry  to  our  God ; 
they  have  caufed  the  cry  of  the  Poor  to  come 
unto  him^  and  he  hears  the  cry  of  the  AfiiEi- 
ed.  We  have  been  quiet  hitherto,  and  fo 
ftill  we   ihould   have   been,    had    not  the 

Great 


[   24   ] 

Great  God  at  this  time  laid  us  under  a 
double  engagement  to  do  fomething  for 
our  Security :  befides,  what  we  have  in 
the  ftrangely  unanimous  Inclination  which 
our  Countrymen  by  extreameft  neceffities 
are  driven  unto.  For  firft,  we  are  inform- 
ed that  the  reft  of  the  Englifh  America  is 
alarmed  with  juft  and  great  Fears,  that 
they  may  be  attaqu'd  by  the  French,  who 
have  lately  ('tis  faid)  already  treated  many 
of  the  Englifh  with  worfe  then  Turkipj 
Cruelties ;  and  while  we  are  in  equal 
Danger  of  being  furprifed  by  them,  it  is 
high  time  we  fhould  be  better  guarded, 
than  we  are  like  to  be  while  the  Govern- 
ment remains  in  the  hands  by  which  it 
hath  been  held  of  late.  Moreover,  we  have 
underftood,  (though  the  Governour  has 
taken  all  imaginable  care  to  keep  us  all 
ignorant  thereof)  that  the  Almighty  God 
hath  been  pleafed  to  profper  the  noble 
Undertaking  of  the  Prince  of  Orange,  to 
preferve  the  three  Kingdoms  from  the 
horrible  brinks  of  Popery  and  Slavery,  and 
to  bring  to  a  condign  Punifhment  thofe 

worft 


[  25  ] 

worft  of  Men,  by  whom  Englifh  Liberties 
have  been  deftroy'd;  in  compliance  with 
which  glorious  A6lion  we  ought  furely  to 
follow  the  Patterns  which  the  Nobility, 
Gentry  and  Commonalty  in  feveral  parts 
of  thofe  Kingdoms  have  fet  before  us, 
though  they  therein  chiefly  propofed  to 
prevent  what  we  already  endure. 

§XII.  We  do  therefore  feize  upon  the 
Perfons  of  thofe  few  ill  Men  which  have 
been  (next  to  our  Sins)  the  grand  Authors 
of  our  Miferies ;  refolving  to  fecure  them, 
for  what  Juftice,  Orders  from  his  High- 
nefs,  with  the  Englifh  Parliament  fhall 
dired:,  left,  ere  we  are  aware,  we  find 
(what  we  may  fear,  being  on  all  fides  in 
Danger)  our  felves  to  be  by  them  given 
away  to  a  Forreign  Power,  before  fuch 
Orders  can  reach  unto  us ;  for  which 
Orders  we  now  humbly  wait.  In  the 
mean  time  firmly  believing,  that  we  have 
endeavoured  nothing  but  what  meer  Duty 
to  God  and  our  Country  calls  for  at  our 
Hands :  We  commit  our  Enterprife  unto 
D  the 


[   26   ] 

the  Bleffing  of  Him,  who  hears  the  cry  of 
the  Opprejfed^  and  advife  all  our  Neigh- 
bours, for  whom  we  have  thus  ventured 
our  felves,  to  joyn  with  us  in  Prayers  and 
all  juft  Adions,  for  the  Defence  of  the 
Land. 


At  the  Town-Houfe  in  Bo/ion^  April  i8.     1689. 

SIR, 

OVR  Selves  and  many  others  the  Inhabitants  of 
this  Tawny  and  the  Places  adjacent^  being  fur- 
prized  with  the  Peoples  fudden   taking  of  Arms ; 
in  the  firfl  motion  whereof  we  were  wholly  ignorant, 
being  driven  by  the  prefent  Accident ,  are  necefjitated 
to  acquaint  y  our  Excellency ,  that  for  the  quieting 
and  fecuring  of  the  People  inhabiting  in  this  Country 
from  the  ifnminent  Dangers  they  fnany  ways  lie  open 
and  expofed  to,  and  tendring  y  our  own  Safety ,   We 
judge  it  neceffary  y  ou  forthwith  fur  render  and  de^ 
liver    up  the   Government  and   Fortif  cation  to  be 
.  preferved  and  difpofed  according  to  Order  and  Di^ 
redl ion  from  the  Cr<?'K;«  <?/' England,  which  fuddenly 
is  expeBedmay  arrive;  promifng  all  fecurity  from 
violence  to  y  our  Self  or  any  of  y  our   Gentlemen  or 
Sou  Idler  s  in  P  erf  on  and  Efate :  Other  wife  we  are 
affured  they  will  endeavour  the  taking  of  the  Fortifi- 
cation by  Storm,  if  any  Oppofition  be  made. 

To  Sir  Edmond  Androfs  Kt. 

Waite  Winthrop.  Elifha  Cook. 

Simon  Bradftreet.  Ifaac  Addington. 

William  Stoughton.  John  Nelfon. 

Samuel  Shrimpton.  Adam  Winthrop. 

Bartholomew  Gidney.  Peter  Sergeant. 

William  Brown.  John  Fofter. 

Thomas  Danforth.  David  Waterhoufe. 
John  Richards. 

FINIS. 


* 


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